


Moments

by allthingsnerd



Category: Captain America, Captain America (Movies), Marvel Avengers Movies Universe, The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Character Study, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-10-18
Updated: 2011-10-18
Packaged: 2017-11-20 09:02:22
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 594
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/583597
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/allthingsnerd/pseuds/allthingsnerd
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve misses those peaceful moments. Character study.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Moments

Things were different. He knew that. His brain knew that. His eyes definitely knew that. He knew it and yet, his heart couldn't accept it. It ached at the thought of everything and everyone he knew, gone. He'd already been mourning Bucky and now he had to mourn everything else too. His heart simply didn't want to believe it, no matter how much evidence was staring him in the face.

People would ask him if he was okay. They'd tell him everything would work out and be all right. They'd tell him he'd fit in just fine, after a little time for adjustment. He would smile, nod his head, and make a small noise of agreement. Inside, however, he was screaming, disagreeing… drowning.

He used to feel this way, as a kid, when he was picked on for his size or because he was an orphan. Bucky had always been there. They'd pool their money and buy Oreos and Barq's. They'd sit on a balcony and eat their Oreos, sipping their root beer, and talking as the street below them was filled with life of the 1920s and 30s. These were the most peaceful moments of his life. Moments that had only stopped after Bucky had died.

He'd wished for these moments many times since waking up in 2011. When he'd found himself in the middle of Times Square, when he'd discovered color TV and smartphones, and when he'd learned about 9/11. He'd ached for these moments when he'd realized he would not see Peggy again, or when he'd visited Brooklyn and seen first-hand how different the country he loved had changed. He missed his friends, his makeshift family, his life.

But he was a soldier. Something he'd always wanted – he could do this. He would do this. He hadn't been trained for it sure, but this was still America and America was still his home. A new generation of Americans needed his help, his service, and he would give it to them. After all, that's who Captain America was.

Steve however, little Steve Rogers with a giant heart, was not so confident. How was he going to get through this? When he was fighting for and defending America – that would be easy. But what about his free time? What would he do then? He truly didn't know.

That is, he didn't know until one day Nick in his "quest" of sorts to introduce Steve to 2011 took him to a supermarket. There while perusing the aisles Steve found a token of his past – Barq's. With hope in his heart, Steve searched the snack aisle, finding the Oreos.

Later that day, sitting on the balcony outside his room, feet dangling over the edge, Steve enjoyed his root beer and Oreos. It wasn't the same – the Oreos had a slightly different taste and the Barq's had a few different ingredients, changing the flavor. The clamor below him was not due to playing kids but honking cars. Bucky was not here.

And yet, despite the tremendous differences, it was the same. For this moment in time, nothing had changed. When he closed his eyes, he was still Steve, it was not 2011, he was home. For a split-second he could even hear Bucky laugh at one of his jokes. Steve smiled.

As he got up, a breeze ruffled his hair. Bucky and the others weren't here. It was different. But it would be okay. He was a survivor. More than that – he wasn't a quitter. And this… this was a new challenge. Bring it on.

**Author's Note:**

> Would Nick take Steve to the supermarket/grocery store? Eh, it worked for my story… Not entirely sure Steve was an orphan, but it worked for this, so I'm going with it. Oreos were first sold in 1912. Barq's was first sold in the 1898-1900 two-year time frame. It was not known as root beer at the time because the makers/owners wanted to avoid conflict with the Hires Root Beer company who was trying to trademark the name root beer.


End file.
